Bottle carrier



Jan. 6, 1948,. Drw. MATTSON 2,433,357

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 17, 1944 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 1943- A 15., W.MATTSON 2,433,857 BQTTLE CARRIER Filed Nov. '17, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2DAvm w. Manson Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLECARRIER David W. Mattson, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application November 17, 1944, Serial No. 563,815

This invention relates to improvements in carriers for beverage andsimilar bottles.

An object of my present invention is to provide a handy carrier by meansof which a group of six, more or less, bottles of beverage may beconveniently carried and with means for concealing and protecting thebottles themselves. It is found that the ordinary carriers, at least allof those with which I am familiar, fail to afiord sufiicient protectionto th bottles to permit their use in connection with such malt beveragesas beer, in which there is set up a very deleterious action by even ashort exposure to sunlight, such as to cause the beverage to take on anunpleasant taste. Up to the present this fact has made it impracticableto market such beverages in six bottle groups, as is so widely thepractice with soft drinks, and thus has lost to the manufacturers anddistributors the advantages of the sale and distribution of thebeverages in such carriers. It is accordingly the primary object of myinvention to provide a carrier which affords the bottles coverage andprotection to such extent that sunlight cannot reach and spoil theircontents, thus providing a carrier well adapted 6 Claims. (Cl. 224-45)to use with beer or other drinks heretofore impracticable to market inthis way.

Another object is to provide a carrier of this character in which theactual protective cover for the bottles is well adapted to advertisingof the product to be carried and to provide a carrier-cover combinationwhich is inexpensive and durable.

Still a further object is to provide a carrier having an adjustmentmeans adapting it to use with bottles of different sizes and styles.

These and other more detailed and specific objects Will be disclosed inthe course of the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of myimproved carrier, part of the cover or enclosure member being cut away.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view along theline 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, with a part of the carrier broken away toillustrate the enclosure and protectio of the bottles.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cover or enclosure member of Figs.1-4 in a partially folded condition.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a carrier having'an adjustment means foradjusting it to use with bottles of diiierent neck sizes and. shapes.

Fig. '7 is detail sectional view along the line 8-8 in Fig. 6.

The present invention is an improvement on the carrier. as disclosed inmy co-pending application Serial No. 548,375 filed August 7, 1944, nowPatent No. 2,415,598 granted Feb. 11, 1947, to which attention isinvited for comparative purposes.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to thedrawing, A designates a bottle carrier, adapted to carry a group of sixbeverage bottles, and which is similar in construction to the carrierdisclosed in my prior application aforesaid. The carrier A, with whichis embodied a cover or enclosure member designated generally at B,comprises a rectangular flat metal top plate I 0 having downwardlyturned marginal stifiening flanges H and for a six bot tle carrier asshown in Figs. 1-4 the top plate is' provided with three elongatedopenings 12, the ends I3 of which are narrow and rounded in order toreceive and engage the necks, C of the bottles D beneath the swells Efound in all such bottles, thereby supportably engaging the bottles andat their centers the openings 12 are enlarged laterally as designated atM so that, by moving the bottles inwardly, they may be dropped from thecarrier, or the carrier may be lifted from the bottles.

While being carried the bottles D are prevented from thus moving inwardto the widened centers [4 of the openings by a, handle member l5 whichis formed of a metal strip to a rectangular shape having upright ends i6which pass slidably through slots I! in the ends of the top plate I0 anda bottom'retainer bar or portion I8 which extends lengthwise andcentrally beneath the plate. When the handle is grasped by its upperportion l9 and the carrier and bottles lifted thereby the retainer barI8 is pulled upwardly against the underside of the plate [0, causing itto span the widened centers M of the openings and, while not actuallyengaging the bottle necks C, preventing them from moving inward to apoint at which they may be disengaged. When the handle is released itwill, of its own weight, move downward as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 untilstops 20 on its sides engage the rods of the slots l1 and in suchposition the retainer bar I8 stands well below the plate It so that thebottles may be tilted to swing their necks into the center I of theopenings l2, permitting removal of the bottles.

' As thus fare described the carrier is substantially identical to thatdescribed in my hereinbefore identified application, and it will beobvious that the six bottles will be supported in a closely spacedgroup, of two rows of three each. In such position the bottles are,however, exposed to sunlight and as heretofore stated this has made theuse of such carrier for beer and similar beverages impractical. Inaddition, the effects of strong sunlight upon other beverages may causecolor fading or other deleterious results, and in either case the covermember or enclosure B now to be described will be of advantage.

This cover B as it will be termed is rectangular; box-like and openended and may be inexpensive: ly formed from four foldably connectedpanels of heavy paper which may be folded flat for conven ience instorage and shipping or unfolded to pro.-.

vide sides 2l22 and ends 23'2'4 adapted shape and size to enclosecorresponding portions of the group of bottles D. The open end 25 of thecover allows the bottles, supported in the carrier A, to be readilylowered into the cover and the vertical height of the latter is suchthat it will enter within the flanges II and: will cover thebottles-from their necks cleardown to their bottoms. The open bottoni 26of the eover,- however; allows the bottles to rest upon their ownbottoms when the carrier is released so that there is no strain orcollapsing weight on the cover enabling the same to be made of light andinexpensive mateifial. I r

To hold the cover in place it is provided in its ends 2324 below theupper edges thereof with slots 21 which are adapted to engage overinwardly turned hooks 28 which are formed by turning inwardly the loweredges of lugs or eat portions 29 forming downward extensions of the endflanges I I of the carrier plate [0 at their cen- .ters. As the bottlesare" lowered into the cover 3 the ends 2 3--24 thereof may be forcedinward- 1y so that the hooks Z8 slip over outer sides of these endsuntil they reach the slots 21 wherenew the natural flexibility of thecover will cause the slots to 5111) Over the hddks l'ioldiflgl and311spending the cover in place while the carrier is in use.

The" cover B thus is so supported that it will complemy enclose thesides and ends of the group of bottles and by making the cover of ariopaque material the bottles Will be well shielded. from sunlight asrequired. The shape and dimensions Of the. cover, as Well as thematerial fromwhich it is made adapt it admirably for-use in advertisingas Will be apparent, aiid' due to its inexpensivehess and theadvertising value the cover may be" discarded when it becomes were andreplaced another. The carrier per'se, isnot of course subject to Wearand will last ihdefihit ly.

Attention called to the fact (Fig. 3) that the'ends lb of the handle iiiof the carrier; when the handle is released, willhang downwardly Withinthe ear portiolis Z9 afid ihwaidly of the cover ends 23 and 24'abovetlle slot's' 27 and in such position will prevent the cover frombeing forced inwardly above the slots to a degiee sixfficient to releaseit from; the hooks 28, However, by raising the handle l5 the ends l6thereof will then be out of theway and the cover" may be readily pressedinward to release it froriithe hooks 28" so thatthe bottles may beliftedou t of the cover, or the cover dropped clear. For conveni'e'ncein' thus pressing the coveriiiwardat each end above the hooks 29 the earportions 29 thereabove are provided with large oiieriings 3il'thro'ligliwhich the fingers may be thrust to. push upon the cover, as indicated inFig. 3.

I have found that in some cases there i a variation in the diameter ofthe bottle necks such that the adjustment means of Figs. 6 and 7 is ofadvantage. Here the carrier AI is shown as having only a single openingl2 to receive a pair of bottles (not shown) but obviously the samefeatures are applicable to carriers of larger capacity. The narrow endsI3 of the opening [2 are adjusted as to effective width, to therebyaccommodate bottles of varying neck diameter, by a plate 33 havingcurved portions 34 corresponding with the curvature of one side and endof each narrow portionof the opening. Said plate 33 is attached atep thecarrier AI by means of a pair of screws 35" ai'idwlng nuts 36, theformer being secured by welds 3'! to the carrier to prevent them fromturning and projecting upwardly through slots 38 in plate 33 to receivethe wing nuts 36. The slots 38 are so elongated that the plate 33 may bemoved toward or away from the adj acent side of the opening, [2 to varythe width thereof and then secured in adjusted position by tighteningthe wing nurses. The plate 33 has an upwardly turned flange 39" tostiffen it to form a convenient finger grasp in its adjustment.

It will be evident that four of my carriers, for either beer or softdrinks, will readily fit into the shells creases generally used andthat, due to the fact that the handle, when released, falls below the"lever of the tops of the bottles,- the case may bereadily s'tacked oneupon another.

When the carrier is used for malt beverages or beer the cover or shieldmust be used to protect the beverage from sunlight, as previouslystated. Therefore the cover becomes a part of the carrier.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed,- pro vided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of -theapperidedclaims, Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my inventiori, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by'Letters" Patent is:

l. The" combination with a' bottle carrier havi'rig" means forreleasably engaging the upper ends of agroup of bottles and holding themin supported depending relation for carrying, of an open topped box-likecover member adapted to surround the bottles beneath the carrier,andcooperating means on the carrier and cover member for releasably'supporting the latter around the bottles while they are carried.

2; A bottle carrier having a handle member movable from an inoperativeposition to an operative positionaiid having means for engaging upperends of a group of bottles and carrying them when the handle is in thelatter position,- a box-like cover member supported rom the carneecovering the" group of bottles, means for attaching the cover member tothe carrier, and said means being releasable only in the operativeposition of said handle member".

3-; A bottle carrier' having a handle member movable from an inoperativeposition to an operative position and having means for engaging upperends of a group of bottles and carrying themwhen the handle'is in thelatter position, a b0)?- like cover member supported from the carrierfor covering the'group of bottles; the said carrier having hook meansand the cover member havihg' openings to supportably engage the hooks;and the carrier handle ineinber in inoperative pilsition standing insuch relation to the hook means and covermemter as to prevent theirdisengagement.-

4. A bottle carrier having a handle member movable froin' an inoperativeposition to an operative position and having means for engaging upperends of a group of bottles and carrying them when the handle is in thelatter position, a box-like cover member supported from the carrier forcovering the group of bottles, said carrier having depending portionshaving hooks at lower extremities and openings thereabove, the saidcover member having slots spaced from its upper edge for engaging thehooks to support the cover member, the said carrier handle member havingportions which are adapted to stand inwardly of the hooks in theinoperative position of the handle but which are raised by movement ofthe handle to operative position whereby the cover member may be pressedinward by a finger thrust through said openings to release the slotsfrom the hooks.

5. A bottle carrier and cover of the character described, comprising acarrier having means for supportably engaging the upper end of at leastone bottle and having hook means, and a cover member adapted to surroundand cover the bottle below the carrier and having openings to engagesaid hook means and thereby support the cover member from the carrier.

6. A bottle carrier and cover comprising a carrier having a handlemember movable from an inoperative to an operative position and havingmeans for engaging the upper end of at least one bottle and carrying thebottle when the handle is REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,076,018 Clark Oct. 21, 19131,112,300 Ligeour Sept. 29, 1914 1,670,864 Martin May 22, 1928 1,798,612Malcolmson Mar, 31, 1931 2,031,963 Kundts Feb. 25, 1936 2,049,884Wurster et al. Aug. 4, 1936 2,252,235 Snelling Aug, 12, 1941 2,264,903Kruea Dec. 2, 1941 2,287,731 Franks et al June 23, 1942 2,320,440 Krueaet al. June 1, 1943 2,339,598 Burge et a1. Jan. 18, 1944 2,361,926Brogden Nov 7, 1944 2,385,997 Leggett et a1. Oct. 2, 1945

